Weekend report Cape Breton Sep 18

[mario428]

WOW what a weekend, great racing, a lot of personal records set and a great time had by all.
See my Team Race report for the details on that, again congrats to Team Cape Breton for getting it done. WOOHOO
Laugh of the weekend, Faber MacKie taking a Cape Breton flag up when getting his picture for 3rd place in S/P on Sun. Cracked everyone up Faber, great idea.

Cold is the optimistic way of describing the weather on Sat, sub-arctic might be the pessimistic way. ;D ;D Best Temp I saw on my weather station was 45 F and the wind was whistling thru for all it was worth. Until Gale and I got things arranged a little better we almost froze on Fri night. But she is a real trooper and looking forward to going racing again.

PEI may have runner upped in the team race but the PEI racers took a bunch of cash home.
Roy Matthew's WOOHOO big win is Super Pro on Sun. Raced his butt off, killing the tree and running the number all day. He could not have been more exited before the final. Afraid I took too much stripe (the real one ) for the loss but my day was a lot more luck than good racing and Roy deserved it more than I did. He did pay for supper at Mother Webb's so I got a little back. ;D ;D ;D

Ray "Pug" Smith and Dirty Harry did not have a great day on Sat but he got some of it back with a 3rd place finish on Sun in Street. Gave the stripe back on Sat, there was a few comments about listening to his neighbor too much about finish line racing. ;D ;D Congrats Pug.

Had a racer in her first weekend out ever post a win on Sun. The Pozzebon's bought Lisa Carroll's junior for Mark's daughter Emily and she took it to the winners circle on her 2nd day racing. Way to go Emily, awesome start.

Gamblers races on Sat was all PEI racers.
Joey MacInnis on his street bike taking the win in No-box over Glen Frizzell. Did not think the nonstop wide grin Joey always has could get wider but it was Sat evening, congrats Joey on a good day.
Glen MacLean continuing the winning by taking Box class on Sat. Car was a "little" unpredictable at the start line but he got thru it for the win. Congrats Glen. Unfortunately Sun did not go nearly as well as it looks like the tranny and converter are hurting. Glen will have a bit of a thrash to be in Greenfield next weekend.

Personal bests, I went a 9.69 @ 140.63 Sat evening, first 60 and 140 for me ever. Checked the weather station after and DA was -45
Sunday was even better with DA only getting to 600ish and 3-400 all day. Car went 9.697, 9.697 and 9.698 first 3 passes Sun morning. That is all there is so looks like you got me this year Peter. Need some more Hp over the winter I guess. ;D ;D ;D
Janet Axworthy getting into the 9.30's, all grins about that.
Clayton Howatt dialed in the 11.50's, gotta be good numbers for him.
Bruce Howatt going 10.30's, wider wheels getting some better hook and running big numbers.

More later, gotta o some work and maybe get a nap. ;D ;D

[mario428]

Road adventures, had a couple this trip.
First one is not a funny one though way too close a call. Going to Sydney we took 104 thru St Peters since Gale had never been that way and there is some amazing scenery. They were doing construction on one hill and had some trouble getting up it, gravel on the road not giving any traction at all and the rear wheels were hopping trying. But that is not the story.
One of the pains of the 104 is the 10 kms coming into Sydney at a low speed limit. Got careless and was too close to the car in front of me. The sun was at a bad angle and was hard to see brake and signal lights. I'm thinking everyone is getting the picture. Yes I was gawking around and when I looked up the car was stopped to turn. If someone had told me I had to get truck and trailer thru that hole at the right of that car at 40kmh I would have said they were crazy. But I made it thru somehow and did not hit the curb either. We drive big rigs that do not want to stop so constant attention is needed.

Next one would not have been funny if I had run out but a little low on gas leaving the track so stopped in Baddeck for gas & coffee. Has been quite a while since I had to drive around to the bridge but I vaguely remember being able to make Aulac with no trouble from Cape Breton. But as it turns out that is if I fill up in Canso!!!!!! We even stopped in Antigonish and I still did not gas up, serious brain fade happening here. Get past Truro and start noticing that the milage left to go on my overhead display is dropping faster than the distance to Amhearst on the road signs. By the time we get on the Cobiquid pass road I am getting really worried. Do you know how many gas stations are open at midnight Sun night. """NONE""" ;D ;D ;D About 10 kms out of Amhearst I poured the remains of my race gas in the truck, pulled into the Irving in Aulac with 10 Kms to go on my overhead display. WHEW we made it. ;D ;D ;D
Cars on the road, Took the 105 heading home much easier driving after dark but I have very very limited passing power. Total weight is 17,000 lbs and the little 5.4 gets worked hard and acceleration is minimal. I can roll along at 100-105 easy enough. Sure enough we come up on a car doing 90, dammmmm. After 15-20 kms I finally get a chance to pass so I do but I get slowed down big time on the hills. Finally get to the right hill and the car starts coming by in the passing zone but not trying real hard. I am down to 85-90 by the time I crest the hill but there is passing zone left so I gain speed again. The car is still beside me completely oblivious to anything happening until I put my signal light on that I am moving over. I realize someone is supposed to yield the way probably me but no way am I giving up all the speed I built up and I start coming over. Car driver was smart enough to drop back before he ended up in the other lane. Am I a bit of an A-hole on the road, well yes I am.
Meanwhile we hooked up with Roy and Janet in Baddeck and he is behind me during all these shenigans. But if you know Roy following is not his thing ;D ;D ;D Sure enough next passing zone comes up and the car is thinking about it again when I see all the lights of Roy's rig pulling out. Here he comes pulling like a freight train. I do not know how much his whole rig weighs but 24K minimum and the big 8.1 came by me revving hard but pulling it with no problem. ;D ;D At this point the car just eased back and seemed to say the hell with it. ;D ;D ;D
Roy and I came over on the same ferry. Roy and Janet are not enthused about the ferry at all but the bridge is closed so no choice. Tide is in and way high, I looked at the ramp getting onto the ferry and said this could be a problem. My trailer scraped hard on the back but I gave it some gas and got thru there only to have the landing gear hit a ton on the top of the ramp. I bounced over it but Gale was watching in the mirror as Roy tried to get in. No way the landing gear hit hard. They had to adjust the ballast on the boat and he drug the landing gear over the ramp with the dual wheel spinning hard. The trip was as rough as I have seen on that ferry, I'm thinking last time ever for Roy and Janet on the ferry. ;D ;D ;D

[pro318]

mario.Just for the future you had the right of way, right hand lane never ENDS unless posted. In nfld when you come to the end of the passing lane they have it marked on the pavement YEILD. To bad the rest of the country couldn't do this. ;D